A dispatchable latent heat solar thermophotovoltaic battery

We introduce a conceptual solar-powered latent heat thermophotovoltaic (TPV) battery coupled with beam-down concentrated solar optics for ultra-high temperature (~1157oC) energy storage and conversion. Designed with a modular architecture, the system allows for scalability and flexibility, enabling configurations that meet diverse energy demands. Operating in four distinct modes — charging, discharging, simultaneous charging/discharging, and storage — the system addresses critical challenges associated with modular solar thermal power systems. Minimizing lateral heat and solar-aperture re-emission losses, and selecting TPV cells with bandgaps tailored to the emitter temperature are key elements for an optimized system efficiency. Furthermore, the system's dimensions significantly influence the optical, thermal and conversion performance, affecting radiation distribution, thermal insulation losses, and overall efficiency. Through a multi-physics analysis, the proposed concept seems promising in terms of several metrics, including round-trip efficiency and charging/discharging times, paving, thus, the way as a competitive solution for next-generation solar applications.